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- 36-page printable PDF
- 181 terms with examples
- 39 practice questions, answers explained
- 2-page cram sheet and study plans
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DSST® Study Guide
Printable PDF · 36 pages
DSST Ethics in Technology Study Guide
Everything the DSST Ethics in Technology exam tests, in one PDF you can print. Built from Prometric's official outline, heaviest topics first.
- 181 key terms, each with an example
- 39 practice questions with every answer explained
- A 2-page cram sheet for the night before
- 2-, 4- and 8-week study plans built from the exam weights
Last updated 2026 · exam details checked against Prometric's published exam information in 2026
Look inside the guide
Real pages from the 36-page PDF.
What you get for $5
One chapter for each official content area, in the order the exam weighs them.
- 📘36pages, printable
- 🧭5chapters, heaviest first
- 🔑181terms with examples
- ✍️39practice questions, answers explained
- ⚠️15exam traps to avoid
- 📄2page cram sheet
Try 10 free Ethics in Technology questions
In the style of the real exam, from all 5 areas. About 10 minutes, with every answer explained and a score by area.
10 questions
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Question 1 · Cyberspace and Privacy
A nurse gets an email that appears to come from her hospital's IT office. It asks her to "confirm" her login on a linked page, which then records her credentials. Which threat is this?
Show the answer
Answer: C. Phishing. The message poses as a trusted sender to trick her into handing over her credentials. That is phishing.
The trap: Malware is tempting because credentials were captured, but no harmful software was installed; she was deceived into typing them.
The message poses as a trusted sender to trick her into handing over her credentials. That is phishing.
The trap: Malware is tempting because credentials were captured, but no harmful software was installed; she was deceived into typing them.
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Question 2 · Domestic and International Security
A security firm is hired by a hospital to try to break into its network and then deliver a report of the weaknesses it found. The firm is performing
Show the answer
Answer: D. Penetration testing. The hospital gave permission and wants the flaws reported so they can be fixed. That is penetration testing, a white-hat activity.
The trap: Hack back is tempting because it is also an attack, but it means striking an attacker's systems without authorization, not testing a client's own network.
The hospital gave permission and wants the flaws reported so they can be fixed. That is penetration testing, a white-hat activity.
The trap: Hack back is tempting because it is also an attack, but it means striking an attacker's systems without authorization, not testing a client's own network.
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Question 3 · Legal Issues in Cyberspace
In Reno v. ACLU, the Supreme Court struck down part of which law as violating the First Amendment?
Show the answer
Answer: B. Communications Decency Act (1996). The Court found the Communications Decency Act's indecency provisions too broad, so they violated the First Amendment.
The trap: The Child Online Protection Act is tempting because it also protects minors online, but it was passed after Reno and was blocked in later litigation.
The Court found the Communications Decency Act's indecency provisions too broad, so they violated the First Amendment.
The trap: The Child Online Protection Act is tempting because it also protects minors online, but it was passed after Reno and was blocked in later litigation.
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Question 4 · Professional Ethics
An IT manager decides whether to delay a software release. She weighs the benefit to thousands of users against the inconvenience to a few and picks the option that does the most good overall. Her reasoning is best described as
Show the answer
Answer: A. Utilitarian. Judging an action by its results, and choosing the option that benefits the greatest number, is utilitarian reasoning.
The trap: Deontological is tempting because she is making an ethical choice, but deontological reasoning follows duties and rules whatever the outcome.
Judging an action by its results, and choosing the option that benefits the greatest number, is utilitarian reasoning.
The trap: Deontological is tempting because she is making an ethical choice, but deontological reasoning follows duties and rules whatever the outcome.
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Question 5 · Technological Innovation and Ethics
A smartwatch records a user's heart rate and sends the data to a company, which later offers the data to an insurer. Which concern is most directly raised?
Show the answer
Answer: B. The privacy of the user's health data. Wearables collect health data continuously, and passing it to third parties without clear consent raises a privacy concern.
The trap: Digital divide is tempting because technology is involved, but nothing here concerns who has or lacks access; the issue is what is done with collected data.
Wearables collect health data continuously, and passing it to third parties without clear consent raises a privacy concern.
The trap: Digital divide is tempting because technology is involved, but nothing here concerns who has or lacks access; the issue is what is done with collected data.
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Question 6 · Cyberspace and Privacy
A manager notices that a courteous employee posts cruel insults under a pseudonym in news comment sections. Which concept best explains the change in behavior?
Show the answer
Answer: C. Online disinhibition effect. Anonymity and distance loosen restraint, so people act online in ways they would avoid face to face.
The trap: Netiquette is tempting because the employee is violating it, but netiquette names the polite rules, not the reason behavior changes.
Anonymity and distance loosen restraint, so people act online in ways they would avoid face to face.
The trap: Netiquette is tempting because the employee is violating it, but netiquette names the polite rules, not the reason behavior changes.
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Question 7 · Domestic and International Security
A government agency collects the phone records of millions of customers who are not suspected of any crime, planning to search them later if a threat appears. This practice is best described as
Show the answer
Answer: A. Bulk data collection. Collecting data on many people without individual suspicion, to be searched later, is bulk data collection. The USA FREEDOM Act (2015) limited this for phone records.
The trap: A national security letter is tempting because it also gets phone records without a judge, but it is an FBI demand for particular customers' records, not a collection of everyone's.
Collecting data on many people without individual suspicion, to be searched later, is bulk data collection. The USA FREEDOM Act (2015) limited this for phone records.
The trap: A national security letter is tempting because it also gets phone records without a judge, but it is an FBI demand for particular customers' records, not a collection of everyone's.
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Question 8 · Legal Issues in Cyberspace
A user posts a false, damaging statement about a local business on a social network. The business sues the network as if it had written the post. Under federal law, how will this claim most likely fare?
Show the answer
Answer: D. It will likely fail, because online services are generally not publishers of user posts. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act generally protects online services from liability for content users post.
The trap: Success because of advertising revenue is tempting, but the immunity does not depend on whether the service profits.
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act generally protects online services from liability for content users post.
The trap: Success because of advertising revenue is tempting, but the immunity does not depend on whether the service profits.
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Question 9 · Professional Ethics
An engineer refuses to hide a known safety flaw from customers even though telling the truth will cost her employer a large contract. She says lying is wrong no matter what happens. Her reasoning is best described as
Show the answer
Answer: B. Deontological. She bases her decision on a duty not to lie rather than on the results, which is deontological reasoning associated with Kant.
The trap: Utilitarian is tempting because many people could be harmed by the flaw, but she explicitly rejects weighing consequences and rests on a duty.
She bases her decision on a duty not to lie rather than on the results, which is deontological reasoning associated with Kant.
The trap: Utilitarian is tempting because many people could be harmed by the flaw, but she explicitly rejects weighing consequences and rests on a duty.
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Question 10 · Technological Innovation and Ethics
A rural school district has no broadband in most students' homes, so students there cannot complete online assignments that city students can. This situation is an example of the
Show the answer
Answer: C. Digital divide. The digital divide is the gap between those with access to information technology and those without it.
The trap: Algorithmic bias is tempting because one group is disadvantaged, but there is no flawed algorithm here; the cause is lack of access.
The digital divide is the gap between those with access to information technology and those without it.
The trap: Algorithmic bias is tempting because one group is disadvantaged, but there is no flawed algorithm here; the cause is lack of access.
The DSST Ethics in Technology exam at a glance
The DSST Ethics in Technology exam is a 120-minute, computer-based test from Prometric with about 100 multiple-choice questions. A score of 400 on the 200–500 scale earns an ACE credit recommendation of 3 semester hours, though each college sets its own policy. The exam covers 5 content areas; the heaviest is Cyberspace and Privacy at 21%.
- Questions
- About 100multiple choice
- Time
- 120 minabout 72 seconds a question
- Passing score
- 400on a 200–500 scale
- ACE credit
- 3semester hours
- Exam fee
- $100paid to Prometric
- Calculator
- Nonot allowed
What the exam covers
5 areas, heaviest first. The guide's chapters follow this order.
- Cyberspace and Privacy21%
- Domestic and International Security21%
- Legal Issues in Cyberspace21%
- Professional Ethics20%
- Technological Innovation and Ethics17%
How it works
- 1Buy once, $5Secure checkout. No subscription needed.
- 2Download the PDFFrom your TransferCredit.org account, right away and any time later.
- 3Study the heaviest areas firstFollow the 2-, 4- or 8-week plan, then read the cram sheet the night before.
Questions students ask
What's in the full DSST Ethics in Technology study guide?
36 pages: 5 chapters, one per official content area, heaviest first. 181 terms, each with a plain-English definition and an example, 18 key people, common traps and memory tricks, 39 practice questions with an answer key that explains every answer, question tactics, 2-, 4- and 8-week study plans and a 2-page cram sheet.
How much is the full DSST Ethics in Technology study guide?
The full 36-page PDF is $5, a one-time payment. The 10 practice questions on this page are free, with no account.
What does the $29 plan include?
$29 a month gives you all DSST subjects: every DSST study guide plus the full prep course for each subject, and you can cancel anytime. If you only need this exam, the guide on its own is a one-time $5.
How do I get the full guide?
Choose Buy this guide ($5) and check out. Then sign in to your TransferCredit.org account, then open the course and its Download Your Study Guide lesson. The PDF is yours to keep, and you can download it again from your account at any time.
Can I print the guide or use it on my phone?
Yes. It's a PDF, so it opens on phones, tablets and computers, and printing is allowed. Its tick boxes and answer bubbles work in PDF readers that support forms. Copying and editing are turned off.
Is this an official DSST study guide?
No. DSST® is a registered trademark of Prometric, which was not involved in producing this guide and does not endorse it. TransferCredit.org is independent. We built the guide from the official exam outline, and the exam details were checked against Prometric's published exam information in 2026.
Why is this study guide better than a generic review?
It follows the official outline area by area and spends the most pages on what the exam weighs most. Every term comes with an example, each chapter names the traps the exam sets, and the answer key explains why the most tempting wrong answer is wrong, not just which answer is right. It ends with a 2-page cram sheet for the night before.
What is the DSST Ethics in Technology exam?
The DSST Ethics in Technology exam is a 120-minute, computer-based test from Prometric with about 100 multiple-choice questions. A score of 400 on the 200–500 scale earns an ACE credit recommendation of 3 semester hours, though each college sets its own policy. The exam covers 5 content areas; the heaviest is Cyberspace and Privacy at 21%.
More questions about the DSST Ethics in Technology exam (22)
How many questions are on the DSST Ethics in Technology exam, and how long is it?
It contains 100 questions to be answered in 2 hours, all multiple choice with one correct answer and three incorrect options. Some questions are pretest questions that are not scored.
What is the passing score for DSST Ethics in Technology?
The passing score is 400 on a 200–500 scale. At 400 or above, the American Council on Education (ACE) recommends 3 semester hours. Each college sets its own passing score and credit award, so check your school's policy before you book.
How much does the DSST Ethics in Technology exam cost?
The exam fee is $100, paid to Prometric. Test centers may add their own administration fee. Eligible U.S. military service members can usually test for free through DANTES.
How many college credits is DSST Ethics in Technology worth?
ACE recommends 3 semester hours for a passing score of 400. Your college decides how many credits it awards and which course they replace. Check your college's policy.
Can I use a calculator on the DSST Ethics in Technology exam?
No. This exam doesn't allow a calculator.
Is there a penalty for guessing on DSST Ethics in Technology?
No. Your score counts only correct answers, so a wrong answer costs nothing. Never leave a question blank: rule out what you can and pick your best guess.
What topics are on the DSST Ethics in Technology exam?
5 content areas, from the official outline: Cyberspace and Privacy (21%); Domestic and International Security (21%); Legal Issues in Cyberspace (21%); Professional Ethics (20%); Technological Innovation and Ethics (17%).
Which DSST Ethics in Technology topics should I study first?
Start with the three heaviest: Cyberspace and Privacy (21%), Domestic and International Security (21%) and Legal Issues in Cyberspace (21%). Together they are about 63% of the exam, roughly 63 of 100 questions. The guide's chapters run in that order, heaviest first.
Is the DSST Ethics in Technology exam hard?
It depends on what you already know. No single area dominates: the largest, Cyberspace and Privacy, is 21% and the smallest, Technological Innovation and Ethics, is 17%, so broad coverage matters more than deep expertise in one topic. Take the free diagnostic above to see where you stand in about 10 minutes.
What kinds of questions are on the DSST Ethics in Technology exam?
The guide sorts them into 5 types: “Define the concept”, “Match the law to its purpose”, “Classify the scenario”, “Name the ethical concern” and “Contrast two similar ideas”. Every question has 4 answer choices. Try the 10 free questions above to see the style.
How long should I study for DSST Ethics in Technology?
Use the diagnostic to decide. If you already know most areas, two weeks of daily review is often enough; if the subject is new to you, plan on eight. The full guide has 2-, 4- and 8-week plans built from the exam weights.
How should I pace myself on the DSST Ethics in Technology exam?
On average you have about 72 seconds per question (120 minutes for 100 questions). Be past question 33 a third of the way through and past question 67 two-thirds through. If a question takes more than a minute, pick your best guess, mark it and come back.
What happens if I don't pass DSST Ethics in Technology?
You can retake a DSST exam after 30 days. Use the wait to work through the areas the score report and the diagnostic show you missed.
Do colleges accept DSST Ethics in Technology for credit?
DSST exams are accepted at more than 1,500 colleges and universities, but each school decides which exams it accepts, the score it requires and the credit it gives. Look up your college's DSST policy before you book.
How up to date is this DSST Ethics in Technology guide?
Last updated 2026. The exam details were checked against Prometric's published exam information in 2026. Exams change, so confirm the details on the official exam page before you register.
What should I do the night before the exam?
Read the cram sheet once, slowly. Check your test time, the location or remote-proctoring setup, and the ID you need. Then sleep: a rested brain recalls more than a crammed one. In the morning, skim the memory tricks and common traps, then stop studying.
Do I need a technical background for DSST Ethics in Technology?
No. You should understand what hacking, malware and encryption are, but the exam focuses on the ethical, legal and social questions they raise.
What textbooks does DSST recommend for Ethics in Technology?
The DSST fact sheet lists Brinkman's Ethics in a Computing Culture, Packard's Digital Media Law and Tavani's Ethics and Technology as reference texts. DSST suggests checking any textbook against the content outline and studying from more than one.
Is net neutrality on the DSST Ethics in Technology exam?
Yes. Net neutrality, the principle that internet providers should treat all traffic equally rather than blocking, throttling or selling priority, is listed under professional ethics, which is 20% of the exam.
Which laws should I know for DSST Ethics in Technology?
The USA PATRIOT Act, data breach notification laws, First Amendment limits on online speech, defamation, copyright and intellectual property law, cyberstalking and cyberbullying laws, and the role of the FCC.
Does DSST Ethics in Technology cover artificial intelligence?
Yes. Robotics and artificial intelligence are listed under technological innovation and ethics, alongside biotechnology, the Internet of Things and autonomous vehicles.
Can I take DSST Ethics in Technology online?
Yes. DSST exams can be taken at a test center or online with a remote Prometric proctor.
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DSST® is a registered trademark of Prometric, which was not involved in producing this guide and does not endorse it. TransferCredit.org is independent and not affiliated with Prometric. © 2026 UPI Globale Edu Inc.